Call of Duty: Black Ops II

 Xbox 360
User Score
5.5

Mixed or average reviews- based on 2684 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,148 out of 2684
  2. Mixed: 497 out of 2684
  3. Negative: 1,039 out of 2684
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  1. Caedis
    Jan 24, 2013
    3
    Same-old, same-old from Treyarch. I couldn't play the campaign for more than 30 minutes. It was same strung-along junk. You defend a person or area for a certain amount of time until the next part of the setpiece begins. Or you shoot endless waves of enemies until you reach a magical room or area where it stops. The story itself is pretty bland and still the typical "bad guy wants toSame-old, same-old from Treyarch. I couldn't play the campaign for more than 30 minutes. It was same strung-along junk. You defend a person or area for a certain amount of time until the next part of the setpiece begins. Or you shoot endless waves of enemies until you reach a magical room or area where it stops. The story itself is pretty bland and still the typical "bad guy wants to destroy the world." Multiplayer is, as always, a bright(er) spot. Generally unchanged although the "Pick 10" system is nice for truly customizing your layout. I wish they would have kept the different scorestreaks from Modern Warfare. I can rarely get the really huge runs in order to get dogs, VTOL, etc. so it would be cool if there were the streaks that didnt reset after you die, etc. Other than that, not really worth the money.… Expand
  2. Dorfdude8
    Jan 22, 2013
    5
    If Black Ops II were the first COD game you've ever played, then it'll probably be pretty good, but right now, it's pretty boring. I mean, it is fun when you play it with friends, but the gameplay is pretty dry. Although, the campaign is pretty good, the mutliplayer isn't. Zombies is pretty fun though. I would like to see more effort in making the game solid, as I believe the CODIf Black Ops II were the first COD game you've ever played, then it'll probably be pretty good, but right now, it's pretty boring. I mean, it is fun when you play it with friends, but the gameplay is pretty dry. Although, the campaign is pretty good, the mutliplayer isn't. Zombies is pretty fun though. I would like to see more effort in making the game solid, as I believe the COD makers are just depending too heavily on the popularity of their series that they stop catering to the community's wishes.… Expand
  3. SomeRandomGuy94
    Jan 22, 2013
    1
    Well, what can you really say about this damn series?... Not much, they have such a simple and effective cash grabbing formula for these games every year. All they do is make sure they show how "new" and "improved" their next game is, and hype it to oblivion. But when you get the game, you realize it is nothing new, and they just sucked your wallet dry. I also have to mention that theWell, what can you really say about this damn series?... Not much, they have such a simple and effective cash grabbing formula for these games every year. All they do is make sure they show how "new" and "improved" their next game is, and hype it to oblivion. But when you get the game, you realize it is nothing new, and they just sucked your wallet dry. I also have to mention that the developers cannot take criticism, and will hold comments for approval just to make sure the no one says anything bad about their precious game. They probably masturbate to a picture of David Vonderhaar everyday.… Expand
  4. Ripred
    Jan 21, 2013
    7
    As a game by itself, Black Ops 2 is a pretty good game. However, with all the other repetitive shooters, this isn't anything new. The multiplayer is okay, but the only really redeeming feature is Zombie mode.
  5. Eggroll
    Jan 19, 2013
    10
    Another year, another COD release. This has been the tradition set by the franchise for many years now. I honestly thought BO2 was going to be another quick cash grab but in all reality, it really isn't. This game vastly improves on The previous releases MW3 and BO1. The Campaign is done well in BO2, the setting, game-play and choice system all work well together to create a familiar yetAnother year, another COD release. This has been the tradition set by the franchise for many years now. I honestly thought BO2 was going to be another quick cash grab but in all reality, it really isn't. This game vastly improves on The previous releases MW3 and BO1. The Campaign is done well in BO2, the setting, game-play and choice system all work well together to create a familiar yet different feel to the game. Zombies is a good addition to the package but feels lacking in comparison to the previous zombie modes in BO1 ans WAW. Multiplayer has been improved in some areas and worsened in others. The class set up has been improved however the Spawning, Hit detection and gun balance need to be improved. Over all this game is good, it improves upon previous releases and provides a fun experience. Whether you love Call of Duty or just come here to give the game a "0" , you cant deny that this game is an improvement on the series.… Expand
  6. GamerGuy96
    Jan 18, 2013
    7
    Treyarch has managed to come out of its shell from the release of CoD:Blops 2. now after looking through all the controversial bullish that is given stating that its like all the others there's nothing different. (keep in mind a developer can only go so far under the arms of a publisher [especially in a "triple A franchise"]). after peeling all that off you have a game that has a largeTreyarch has managed to come out of its shell from the release of CoD:Blops 2. now after looking through all the controversial bullish that is given stating that its like all the others there's nothing different. (keep in mind a developer can only go so far under the arms of a publisher [especially in a "triple A franchise"]). after peeling all that off you have a game that has a large amount of potential that strikes very hard key selling points. The stellar campaign given felt a lot (not completely though,) different. It gave players a little more freedom and choice throughout the game as well as a slight sense of emotional awareness within the choices they made as a character. From mission load screens to in-game non-avoidable choices. These things made me fall in love with the sometimes drooling campaign. Zombies of course makes its large return and greater than ever, with new maps and a long sought after theater mode. This combined with 4v4 chaos in grief mode ends up resulting in countless hours of play time (not including future DLC and modes). Of course as every CoD game has been in the past the multiplayer is EXTREMELY addictive, but repetitive in its level system. But to fix this Treyarch has added several things to keep the players busy and happy longer. With the inclusion of a "league mode" which allows for PvP action within certain skill levels makes any and every gamer feel like a professional in there own world while enjoying the game. Theater mode also returns as expected and feels a little easier to use and less task heavy. The greatest thing that makes the games multiplayer fall short is its poorly created and managed servers. this results in a lag compensation and the case where in the right game mode the winner (9 times out of ten) is the host. This makes the newest installment of CoD:Blops 2 a game that i would buy in a heart beat but with a lack of polish and finesse in certain cases… Expand
  7. tytoandnoob
    Jan 17, 2013
    8
    It's not a bad game. I've been playing it for quite a bit by now, and it's actually a breath of fresh air for the entire Call of Duty franchise. Mulitplayer still has some issues but Treyarch did a pretty good job of balancing it this time around. Zombies is fun as always, and for the first time ever, I actually enjoyed the RPG/Campaign. It could still use some work but I think it's aIt's not a bad game. I've been playing it for quite a bit by now, and it's actually a breath of fresh air for the entire Call of Duty franchise. Mulitplayer still has some issues but Treyarch did a pretty good job of balancing it this time around. Zombies is fun as always, and for the first time ever, I actually enjoyed the RPG/Campaign. It could still use some work but I think it's a point in the right direction for this franchise. :D… Expand
  8. idgaf
    Jan 17, 2013
    0
    This Cod is the worst cod ever made the theater sucks it never records.You die so quick even if try to cover yourself. I will never buy any other black ops game! cant wait for infinity ward to come back
  9. VelocityGamer
    Jan 16, 2013
    10
    For as long as I can remember, I was one of the many detractors of the Call of Duty series, even though I never played a single installment. There was just something about Activision
  10. sergiomach5
    Jan 16, 2013
    9
    An improvement over the recent Call of Duty games of late, though starting to lag behind the fresher competitors out there. The base mechanics are pretty much the same as the last few entries, but implemented for a better experience. The campaign is a step forward with added challenges, branching outcomes, and somewhat less cluttered than Black Ops, along with a more fleshed out villain inAn improvement over the recent Call of Duty games of late, though starting to lag behind the fresher competitors out there. The base mechanics are pretty much the same as the last few entries, but implemented for a better experience. The campaign is a step forward with added challenges, branching outcomes, and somewhat less cluttered than Black Ops, along with a more fleshed out villain in Menendes. If the previous games pissed you off at the single dimensional character traits of an evil villain, with the western powers as being overly heroic, then this will be a good enough story for the fans, with much more balanced perspectives. Still, not nearly as impressive as say Spec Ops:The line.

    Multiplayer is a bit different to the last few entries, with a pick 10 system put in instead of the create a class. Instead of selecting between preset tiers, you pick out whatever you fancy to fill in the 10 slots, be it weapon attachments, perks, or equipment. Its not as flawed as my first impressions went, and each slot is valuable to your class.
    Once you jump in, the game has issues. Maps are somewhat cluttered, and a downgrade from the likes of MW2, but a mile better than MW3. Killstreaks can be dominant, especially the higher ones, but they rarely make you rage quit, and are not dealbreaking. Spawns have the same CoD problems, and staying still even for a second can often get you killed.
    That all said though, its still a great experience, and there is that addictive quality of the games that keeps you back for more.

    An improvement in every way over MW3, and a few tads better than Black Ops. The engine may be old, but the game has the hallmarks of a dev team that wanted to try something different to a series stuck in old ways. Heres hoping they can get a next gen experience for their next title    … Expand
  11. PsychoticSnivy
    Jan 16, 2013
    3
    Quite potentially the best CoD after a long time!...That's not saying much, unfortunately. I made the major mistake of purchasing this game. however, I'm not jumping on the hate bandwagon. I've played the game up to level 52, played the campaign, and multiplayer, and after all of this time, I think it's time I give it a fair review.
    Call of Duty: Black Ops II, is the newest installment in    Quite potentially the best CoD after a long time!...That's not saying much, unfortunately. I made the major mistake of purchasing this game. however, I'm not jumping on the hate bandwagon. I've played the game up to level 52, played the campaign, and multiplayer, and after all of this time, I think it's time I give it a fair review.
    Call of Duty: Black Ops II, is the newest installment in the call of duty series. However, it's not at all a new game. It does not DESERVE the title, "New game". It is the exact same engine from every other cod since cod 4, and the guns are also the same. They may look different, but it's still not different at all. Exact same. Just different stats. The balance is awful, and sad. It's incredibly unfortunate. The series lasted decently for a while. CoD 4 and 5 were good. But that's it. The classics were too. But the series since has taken a drop. nothing to see here. Don't even waste your time.    … Expand
  12. drlowdon
    Jan 16, 2013
    4
    Thanks to its yearly release schedule (six games in six years!) I personally now find it impossible to muster any sort of enthusiasm for new Call of Duty games. To be fair to developers Treyarch they have made more of an effort than usual to make changes to the well-trodden path walked by these titles but everything, from the scripted events during the campaign to the online multiplayer,Thanks to its yearly release schedule (six games in six years!) I personally now find it impossible to muster any sort of enthusiasm for new Call of Duty games. To be fair to developers Treyarch they have made more of an effort than usual to make changes to the well-trodden path walked by these titles but everything, from the scripted events during the campaign to the online multiplayer, that was once so fresh and new to console owners has all been done before. Black Ops 2 provides exactly what everyone would have expected and sales suggest plenty of people are still willing to buy each new version but I for one have no interest in purchasing new games in a series year on year when the formula was already virtually perfected back in 2007 with the first Modern Warfare.… Expand
  13. Ptango-down
    Jan 16, 2013
    10
    Title: Call of Duty Black Ops 2 Platform: XBOX360

    Rating: 18 Characters as settings: Black ops2 is set in the cold war in 1986 to 1989 and also in the cold war 2 in 2025. The protagonist of Black Ops Alex Mason returns as the protagonist in the cold war which leads to the primary antagonist, Raul Menendez a Nicaraguan narco-terrorist and leader of Cordis Die. In the 2025 section of    Title: Call of Duty Black Ops 2 Platform: XBOX360

    Rating: 18 Characters as settings: Black ops2 is set in the cold war in 1986 to 1989 and also in the cold war 2 in 2025. The protagonist of Black Ops Alex Mason returns as the protagonist in the cold war which leads to the primary antagonist, Raul Menendez a Nicaraguan narco-terrorist and leader of Cordis Die. In the 2025 section of the story, features Alex Mason    … Expand
  14. leon1212
    Jan 16, 2013
    1
    horrible game loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooool
  15. TheZephyr
    Jan 15, 2013
    5
    Well what can be said that has not been said 50,000 times over?? I gave the the original Black Ops a 9 because I thought it brought a nice change of pace to the franchise. I tried oh so hard to like this game, I even managed to prestige once before I gave up in utter disappointment with what I saw. Campaign wise, some of your actions do have a degree of effect on the story (although by howWell what can be said that has not been said 50,000 times over?? I gave the the original Black Ops a 9 because I thought it brought a nice change of pace to the franchise. I tried oh so hard to like this game, I even managed to prestige once before I gave up in utter disappointment with what I saw. Campaign wise, some of your actions do have a degree of effect on the story (although by how much is up to you as it seemed to effect the game story only slightly for me). But alas, like most recent triple A COD titles the characters are weak and I felt no connection to any of them. The classic COD AI is back out in force wreaking havoc on the enemy's concrete pillars and plaster walls all the while screaming at you to do anything and everything in between. The Strike Force missions were a nice attempt but ultimately fell short due to bad AI and RTS commands. That's it, I wont bother ripping on the campaign anymore because lets be honest; who in their right mind buys a COD game for the single player?
    As for multiplayer, it is fun at first but the fun rapidly dissipates after the first few hours of play. The maps are OK if uninspiring, but I could never shake off the feeling of claustrophobia that plagued me as I was playing. The god awful respawns and the cramped CQC style of the maps essentially forces you into lugging around high-rate-of-fire smgs or the dreaded Remington wherever you go. Snipers and LMG users are like black sheep in this game with one making an appearance every now and then and shocking the COD community. There are some perks and equipment that are clearly better than others (C4, Bouncing Bettys, that-god-**** ghost perk) While others such as Hard Wired, Awareness, and claymores lie completely unused (at least in my experience). I could go on, and on and on about the class imbalances and such, but I know this will fall mostly on deaf ears at this point. Once again the stagnat mulitiplayer leveling system and just boring unchanged gameplay leaves much to be desired.
    The Zombies mode however is the one and only saving grace this game has and it is very enjoyable when you have friends or a good group. I played i,t no lie for seven straight hours on Tranzit and Green Run and it helped soften the blow somewhat about blowing three Andrew Jacksons on this game.
    In my closing argument I want to make it clear that I love COD, I played the original COD on my PC way back in the early 2000's and had great memories playing it. I agree completely that COD4, MW2, BOPS1, was the zenith period for COD but sadly as this game and another (made by IW which shall forever remain namless...) has shown me that the glory day are long gone now. I appreciate Treyarch for trying something new and trying to innovate, but c' mon guys lets be serious here you and IW and especially Activision, are trying to revive a hero that has been dead for eight years now and no amount of "updating" or "improvements" will fix that. No its time to wipe the slate clean and start over fresh with new ideas and innovations. Better yet, we should avoid this game and invest money into games and companies like From Softwares Dark Souls or Planetside 2 or Blacklight. These companies at least give a crap about their fans and customers. But knowing activision, you have a better chance of winning the lottery in Texas than you do at Activision actually changing. So in summary..........
    0/10 for graphics hey activision last time I checked it was 2012/2013 not 2005.
    Campaign: 1.5/10 ( I know this is irrelevant it just makes me feel better!)
    Multiplayer: 2/10 minus an additional point to avenge by PC brothers and sisters for the appalling lack of dedicated servers. Fight on people!
    Zombies brings this game to a 5 because I like it and its actually fun.
    Shame on you Activision for ruining another good video game franchise. Looks like its back to Dark Souls for me.    … Expand
  16. liabProductions
    Jan 14, 2013
    4
    A fun game at times but the multiplayer is nothing new and gets boring after a day or two. The campaign is a bit entertaining but the only time you get to use new gadgets is normally once and is to just get to the next objective. If you're lucky you'll get 20 seconds with your new gadget. Anyway, bad campaign and a bad multiplayer. The Zombies mode is alright but soon gets boring seeing asA fun game at times but the multiplayer is nothing new and gets boring after a day or two. The campaign is a bit entertaining but the only time you get to use new gadgets is normally once and is to just get to the next objective. If you're lucky you'll get 20 seconds with your new gadget. Anyway, bad campaign and a bad multiplayer. The Zombies mode is alright but soon gets boring seeing as there is basically only one map.… Expand
  17. OutlawNinja
    Jan 13, 2013
    5
    Well there doesn't seem to be a review section for the PC version of this game so I will write one here.
    I have played this game since release date. For starters as was promised to PC players Dedicated servers, a lie.
    We have the same old P2P network offered to us in MW3 and MW2. Big falling point for a PC game. Low traffic this system works adequately but not well, High traffic the lag    Well there doesn't seem to be a review section for the PC version of this game so I will write one here.
    I have played this game since release date. For starters as was promised to PC players Dedicated servers, a lie.
    We have the same old P2P network offered to us in MW3 and MW2. Big falling point for a PC game.
    Low traffic this system works adequately but not well, High traffic the lag is unbelievable as is evident on any weekend.
    Treyarch really lost my respect with this release but the game sells well and I guess that is all that matters to them.
    Multiplayer gets a 6/10 would have scored maybe 2 points higher if we had Dedicated Servers.

    Zombies is riddled with very weird glitches, anyone travelling on the bus will know what I am talking about. A zombie 10-15 feet away on the bus can hit you, zombies can come through totally boarded up windows.
    Then there is the totally inexplicable random player glitches, like getting pulled off into the fog by an unseen force. Weapons totally disappearing amongst other glitches to numerous to mention.
    I respect they tried to incorporate new characters into the game but boy do I miss Nikolai and the boys from Black Ops.
    Zombies 5.5/10

    Overall a huge disappointment. 5/10 Overall Score
    Chances of me buying any DLC's with the game as is Zero!
    Give us dedicated servers for PC, to have any chances of gaining any respect from the PC gaming community.    … Expand
  18. TheBartlez
    Jan 11, 2013
    6
    To begin, I have played all the COD games since COD4. I have broken down my review into PROS and CONS to show what works and what doesn't.

    PROS: 1) Campaign is pretty good and has a cool mix of missions from the 1980's and the near future. 2) Graphics improved over BLOPS 1. 3) Great sound - guns sound louder and more powerful. 4) Redone Nuketown for multiplayer and zombies! 5)    To begin, I have played all the COD games since COD4. I have broken down my review into PROS and CONS to show what works and what doesn't.

    PROS:
    1) Campaign is pretty good and has a cool mix of missions from the 1980's and the near future. 2) Graphics improved over BLOPS 1.
    3) Great sound - guns sound louder and more powerful.
    4) Redone Nuketown for multiplayer and zombies!
    5) Create-a-class system lets you really customize your class to your liking.

    CONS:
    1) Multiplayer maps are pretty limited and none really stand out.
    2) Zombies just feel unfinished - it is 1 big map with multiple locations, but none of the locations are memorable. New characters are annoying and boring.
    3) Still haven't fixed Zombie matchmaking, hard to find a good group in a timely manner.
    4) No guns feel all that great. Almost all the guns play almost the same way and the unique weapons from BLOPS 1 were nerfed, meaning there is no reason to use them.
    5) Scorestreak system means well, but the exciting scorestreaks are fairly unobtainable unless you are an amazing player or get one in a care package.

    As much as I loved BLOPS 1, and how excited I was for this game, I found myself pretty disappointing with how BLOPS 2 turned out. Zombies was a big selling point to me, but it just feels lackluster. MP is the same as ever, but there is no excitement to it like in BLOPS 1. I find myself being more frustrated with this game and even though it works well, I would trade it in if I hadn't bought the season pass.    … Expand
  19. CritcGamer
    Jan 10, 2013
    10
    people need to stop stayin that b-ops 2 sucks. The game is freakin awsome. From the awsome graphics, to the (in my opinion) more solid gameplay. There are some maps to be loved, even though there is a tedios one that i tend to even leave the lobby for ( cough cough, express, ) it is an extremily exeptional game that all fans of the series should enjoy. There also is one thing that i shouldpeople need to stop stayin that b-ops 2 sucks. The game is freakin awsome. From the awsome graphics, to the (in my opinion) more solid gameplay. There are some maps to be loved, even though there is a tedios one that i tend to even leave the lobby for ( cough cough, express, ) it is an extremily exeptional game that all fans of the series should enjoy. There also is one thing that i should mention abought zombies... i dindnt like it as much as i did in the first black ops. I personally am not eally a zombies fan in the first place, but the only map i really enjoyed was transit. Anyway this is a great game so get it .… Expand
  20. RobYes92
    Jan 9, 2013
    2
    There's a common misconception going on that just because a game breaks sales records; it's a good game. The only reason COD Waste of Money 2 made any sales is because of the hype it generated prior to its release. It's just that all the 12 year old fan boys can't see it. I think they should just make a really **** COD this year, kill the series and be done with it. Why waste time onThere's a common misconception going on that just because a game breaks sales records; it's a good game. The only reason COD Waste of Money 2 made any sales is because of the hype it generated prior to its release. It's just that all the 12 year old fan boys can't see it. I think they should just make a really **** COD this year, kill the series and be done with it. Why waste time on another one if all you're ever going to do is lie about how great it and then get other people to lie for you? I mean, an 83 over all from critics? Seriously? So if I made a game about me taking a **** in a different toilet every week and paid the right people then I'd get a high score too? The critics who gave this game any score above 60 should be ashamed of themselves. You want to know what the most frustrating thing is? You stupid ass users who review the game like a bunch of tit sucking fan-boys expecting us to feel the same way and shooting us down from a dizzying height when we don't. Seriously: **** you guys. If I say this game is **** then it's my opinion, go take your drool and **** stained diapers somewhere else. Okay, done ranting about that. Back to COD! or rather, never again back to COD. Not until they A) Make a game with a compelling story that doesn't feel like it was written for 5 year olds, B) Actually upgrade the graphics (Battlefield 3 still looks better after 2 years. **** sakes guys) and C) Not have the pretentious micro-penis it requires to actually charge more than the average first person shooter for a sub-par game. Bye.… Expand
  21. FoorishShamurai
    Jan 8, 2013
    0
    Honestly, CODBLOPS is the downfall of modern gaming. Now you have to play this to be considered a "true gamer," and that's a pretty terrible president to be set. The same game comes out every year with a different skin and, like Madden and NBA, everyone just laps it right up. This is the game everyone looks at when they look at gamers as a whole and I find that repugnant. The only thingHonestly, CODBLOPS is the downfall of modern gaming. Now you have to play this to be considered a "true gamer," and that's a pretty terrible president to be set. The same game comes out every year with a different skin and, like Madden and NBA, everyone just laps it right up. This is the game everyone looks at when they look at gamers as a whole and I find that repugnant. The only thing that could make this situation worse is if EA published it.… Expand
  22. pfcWintergreen
    Jan 7, 2013
    2
    The multiplayer in this game is easily the worst of the series. Here's what I like the Pick 10 is great, guns are balanced, perks aren't overpowered, and the scorestreak system rewards objective game play. You may be thinking this is sounding like the best Cod ever, but you would be sadly mistaken. The net code punishes good connections, and also the host by delaying their game state onThe multiplayer in this game is easily the worst of the series. Here's what I like the Pick 10 is great, guns are balanced, perks aren't overpowered, and the scorestreak system rewards objective game play. You may be thinking this is sounding like the best Cod ever, but you would be sadly mistaken. The net code punishes good connections, and also the host by delaying their game state on the server. This means to enemy players you will appear unresponsive as they gun you down on their screen, even though on your screen you will appear to have been killed by bullets behind cover. This also means moving players will sometimes not even appear on your screen before they kill you. More often you will see the player only to be killed by what on your screen is a single bullet, but may have been an entire clip on his. Even if it's a bad player and his aim is bad enough that you survive the initial view delay, due to client side hit detection and the delay that is still present you will be firing at a location the enemy is no longer at causing either no hit markers or ones that don't actually register as damage. The hosting situation is growing worse as those with better connections are quitting the game in droves. The ones that do stay either dashboard ending the game for everyone, or passing host around like a hot potato causing host migration after migration.
    If you haven't bought it yet, I advise you to wait as Treyarch has been ignoring the issue and a large growing number of dissatisfied customers.    … Expand
  23. SchroederRock
    Jan 7, 2013
    4
    This is the third review I've written. I've had to tweak it some as I played the game more and more. Simply put, this is only a story extension from Black Ops. There is no evolution of gameplay, nothing fresh or imaginative. The biggest step forward has to be the Zombies gametype, where there's more than just the straight-up exhibition approach of pick a level, fight the zombies (rinseThis is the third review I've written. I've had to tweak it some as I played the game more and more. Simply put, this is only a story extension from Black Ops. There is no evolution of gameplay, nothing fresh or imaginative. The biggest step forward has to be the Zombies gametype, where there's more than just the straight-up exhibition approach of pick a level, fight the zombies (rinse & repeat). But the multiplayer, where the game is supposed to take its biggest strides, falls completely flat. For me, this comes for a number of reasons: bad weapon balancing, poor killstreaks, no dedicated servers (and their player-host approach doesn't do well most of the time), poor hit detection (including the impossible feat that is the headshot, for whatever reason this game rarely rewards the player with a headshot when the head is all that is showing!), uninteresting perks, the list goes on but those are the ones I can think of immediately. This game will be fun and compelling if you've barely touched Call of Duty in the past, but just like Modern Warfare 3, the franchise shows its age in all aspects of the game (especially the graphics department). One has to wonder where Treyarch and Infinity Ward are with hiring creative minds to bring the franchise into interesting and fun waters. Quite honestly, it might be time to let this franchise die out and start fresh. If I could put it in to one sentence, I'd describe Call of Duty Black Ops 2 as tiresome, boring, and overly recycled - to the point that it makes me want to never play the game every time I conclude a playing session. Sadly, people are rewarding the development and production teams on this game by playing it (with online populations in the 500,000s at times). Honestly, play MW3 as it has better killstreak rewards and a much better weapon selection. Play Black Ops only if you covet campaign and the zombie survival mode, because the story is okay (just okay, nothing more) and zombies is the only real challenge Black Ops carries anymore. I'd venture to recommend Halo 4 over Black Ops 2 simply because it feels like Halo but has incorporated popular trends in multiplayer gaming that never existed in the earlier games of the franchise.… Expand
  24. skynet
    Jan 6, 2013
    6
    The only thing about Black Ops 2 worth buying is zombies... Level 26 if anyone is wondering.
    Played like 5 mins of single player and had to stop playing multiplayer because it is so terrible to play....

    /Inserts MW3 disc
  25. chishket33
    Jan 6, 2013
    4
    The single player on this game is absolutely top notch, as are all of the other CoD's campaigns are. But the multiplayer on this particular game, is one of the worst multiplayer experiences i have ever been in. Its crummy, boring and it ALWAYS feels as though you are dying first even after shooting first, and after trading it in 2 weeks after i purchased it, i am NOT regretting getting ridThe single player on this game is absolutely top notch, as are all of the other CoD's campaigns are. But the multiplayer on this particular game, is one of the worst multiplayer experiences i have ever been in. Its crummy, boring and it ALWAYS feels as though you are dying first even after shooting first, and after trading it in 2 weeks after i purchased it, i am NOT regretting getting rid of it, as it is the worst CoD in the whole of the series.… Expand
  26. Nasher
    Jan 5, 2013
    3
    How many times a year can they release the same, generic FPS game for $60? This only goes to show that if you build up enough hype, people will buy any old crap. I think it's safe to say that if you want value for money these days, stay away from the big publishers like Activision and EA...
  27. halo142356
    Jan 3, 2013
    2
    What a **** game. The target finder ruined multiplayer, and that's just the start. Target finder lets u sit in a corner and it will spot any enemies for you... litteraly sit in the corner of the map, i have done it maney times. Works great.. Also, the averege age of the ppl who play this game is 8 years old. Considering these guys have no lives they sit there for 10 hours a day and playWhat a **** game. The target finder ruined multiplayer, and that's just the start. Target finder lets u sit in a corner and it will spot any enemies for you... litteraly sit in the corner of the map, i have done it maney times. Works great.. Also, the averege age of the ppl who play this game is 8 years old. Considering these guys have no lives they sit there for 10 hours a day and play multiplayer. You have no chance against them, unless u get rid of ur life and start playing this 10 hours a day like them.. You die very fast in zombies, so i don't even bother playing that anymore. Two hits is enough to kill you, and a zombie usually does 2 hits with both hands. If they had not added juggernaut they might as well not made zombies. Also, considering your playing with 10 year olds, they often tend to quit between games, which is rly annoying. The same goes for multiplayer, which is why they constantly add ppl in the middle of a multiplayer match, which is also verry anoying. Stop wasting your money on cod, go play halo like all the big kids.… Expand
  28. Adder5150
    Jan 3, 2013
    6
    Plenty of money went into this game, that much is evident. But is it any good ? Well ' sort of'. I buy CoD for the single player campaigns firstly and multiplayer second, so for you it might depend on what you want out of the game. Treyarch seem to have maxed out the capabilities of their aging engine and code in an obvious attempt to one-up Infinity Ward in wow-power and over-the-topPlenty of money went into this game, that much is evident. But is it any good ? Well ' sort of'. I buy CoD for the single player campaigns firstly and multiplayer second, so for you it might depend on what you want out of the game. Treyarch seem to have maxed out the capabilities of their aging engine and code in an obvious attempt to one-up Infinity Ward in wow-power and over-the-top sequences. For all it's glitz and glamour though, I felt pretty tapped-out by the end of the campaign. The studio seems hell bent on creating a bigger ' the whole world in in the frying pan' feel than even MW3 and it's just too cliche now to really give a care what countries are under attack, again at the whim of another madman with his own private army. Yawn. The original BO had some style going for it in its cold-war era missions, tech and intrigue. The sequel, sadly, includes a few more missions that take place in cold war hotspots that serve only to provide a weak basis for the events that take place in the near future. There are few short clips of Reagan giving speeches and intelligence reports being inked out to give you that 'black-ops' feel, but all that takes a back seat because Treyarch seems to want the player to see what their take on 'modern warfare' is - high-tech gizmos and weapons with a wide assortment of attachments, being used to perform wild stunts on small, bullet-filled battlefields. Once the story no longer rests on the actions of Woods, Mason and Hudson (I miss Ed Harris' voice), it very quickly turns into a 'stop the nutjob madman and his private army before he screws the whole planet' affair. Yawn. Few shooter stories carry unique scripts, but this one is held together by a very, very tired plot line and characters that belong in a Uwe Bol movie.

    Is it pretty ? Sure. Exciting ? In parts. Is this proof that you can't get a top-shelf title simply by throwing money at it ? Absolutely. It will fill a few hours of your time off-line and likely a bunch more online, but the unique things about it's predecessor are missing and in its place you'll find a big pile of glitter and a bunch of actors that could have been put to better use. Micheal Rooker and Tony Todd are great to hear though.

    Keep trying Treyarch.    … Expand
  29. CRB2014
    Jan 3, 2013
    8
    focusing mostly on the single-player: i love it. why? i think it is down to the alternative endings that are available, 3 infact and the decisions that are made throughout. but i do have to say that not much is added elsewhere. A solid purchase.
  30. Versonic
    Jan 3, 2013
    4
    Call of duty: Black ops 2 takes the action to the future. however it still feels like i'm playing a game in the past.
    Firstly the campaign is like always, just there so they can make the game. they really don't put any effort into the game. all they are looking to get out is the multiplayer and the zombies. So multiplayer is as always, the same spray and pray. however they do add a point    Call of duty: Black ops 2 takes the action to the future. however it still feels like i'm playing a game in the past.
    Firstly the campaign is like always, just there so they can make the game. they really don't put any effort into the game. all they are looking to get out is the multiplayer and the zombies. So multiplayer is as always, the same spray and pray. however they do add a point system instead of a kill streak which makes it more objective run this time, this is not good though because you find yourself being bombed every couple of minutes. Zombies was ruined in every way possible. they took the the simple fun and turned it into a mess of building turbines and being downed in one hit due to the poor knifing system, its ridiculous.

    Would i play this or any other cod? yes. any other game? no    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

31
#31 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2012
3
#3 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2012
10
#10 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
83

Generally favorable reviews - based on 73 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 67 out of 73
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 73
  3. Negative: 0 out of 73
  1. Xbox World Australia
    Jan 22, 2013
    80
    This is not to say it's a bad game, it's just not different enough from previous Call of Duty titles. The story isn't memorable, the maps and weapons aren't any different to what we've previously experienced, the gameplay is near identical to previous games, and when it's not identical it falls flat and fails to impress.
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  2. X-ONE Magazine UK
    Jan 19, 2013
    80
    It's fun, and an indication that Treyarch is willing to explore ideas that Infinity Ward has thus far ignored. [Issue#93, p.74]
  3. DailyGame
    Jan 7, 2013
    95
    If the original Black Ops was Treyarch's coming-out party, then Black Ops 2 is the studio's affirmation that their COD expertise was no flash in the pan. If you're one of the 16 people who hasn't played this gem yet, go buy it now. Conversely, if you're among those who bought the game but hasn't ventured into the single-player campaign (yes, it happens), there's a great narrative and divergent gameplay awaiting your experimentation, so check it out.
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